Manal AlDowayan – Shifting Sands: A Battle Song | National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia Venice Biennale

Manal AlDowayan represents Saudi Arabia at the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia with the groundbreaking multimedia installation Shifting Sands: A Battle Song, curated by Maya El Khalil, Jessica Cerasi and assistant curator Shadin AlBulaihed.

In the work, AlDowayan merges the sonic and geological features of the desert with the voices of Saudi women amidst a transformative cultural period. The large-scale installation also features drawings and writing, printed onto soft sculptural forms, from participatory workshops and local and international news as an investigation into women’s representation in the media, collective memory, empowerment and community.

This year’s National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture’s Visual Arts Commission and Chief Executive Officer Dina Amin.

The 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia runs until 24 November 2024